Aseniorwarning sign for the president: ‘Go Biden’ at big retirement community

THE VILLAGES, Fla. — Sara Branscome’s golf cart whizzed down the smooth asphalt path that winds through The Villages, the nation’s largest retirement community, an expanse of beautiful homes, shops and entertainment venues that bills itself as “Florida’s Friendliest Hometown.”

Branscome jabbed her left foot on the horn pedal, then gave a thumbs-up to a passing cart.

“This gets you rejuvenated and ready for the next month or so, so we can do this and win. It gives you hope,” the 60-year-old retiree said.

Then she let out a whoop and two surprising words: “Go Biden!”

It’s not a cry that might be expected to resound in The Villages, and it’s certainly not one that is encouraging to President Donald Trump. Older voters helped propel him to the White House — the Pew Research Center estimates Trump led among voters 65 and older by 9 percentage points in 2016— and his campaign hoped they would be a bulwark to cement a second term.

Pew estimates that nationwide, nearly 1 in 4 eligible voters will be 65 and older. It’s the highest level on record, going back to 1970.

But there have been warnings that older voters are in play. Trump’s campaign has seen a drop in support among older adults in its internal research, according to campaign aides, and some public polls suggest Democrat Joe Biden is running ahead or just even with Trump.

Mostly, it seems, older voters have been put off by Trump’s handling of the coronavirus, which affects these voters more acutely than others.

The president has tried to shore up his popularity with older adults. He has emphasized themes of law and order and has warned that Democrats would preside over a sundering of the suburbs. He has promoted his prescription drug policy. And he

has kept up steady visits to Florida — after Maine, the state with the oldest population — and advertised heavily there.

On Thursday, the president released a video of himself standing on the White House lawn in which he called older adults “my favorite people.” Noting that they are vulnerable to the virus, he asserted that a medicine he said he was given in the hospital would be free to older people.

The president’s own COVID-19 infection has refocused attention on the virus and hishandling of it. If the 74-year-old Trump can’t safeguard his own health, some wonder, howcan he be trusted to protect other older people who are far more vulnerable?

On Wednesday, the scene in The Villages underscored that belief. An armada of as many as 500 golf carts gathered at the Sea Breeze Recreation Center to caravan to the nearby elections office so folks could drop off ballots for Biden.

If the slow-moving golf cart show of force is an indication of growing allegiance to the Democrat among the retiree set, it would represent a substantial

shift.

Susan MacManus, a University of South Florida distinguished professor of government and international affairs, said The Villages and its powerful voting demographic have become less Republican over the years because of an influx ofmore liberal people from the Northeast.

She’s seen research that shows a softening inTrump’s older base, both nationally and in Florida — especially with women.

“That’s the group that’s leaving Trump,” she said. “And it’s because of his demeanor, more than his policies. For older women, especially. Theywent through the battles. They frankly do not appreciate the demeaning of women. More than that, they’re thinking of their children and their grandchildren.”

But Trump still enjoys strong support among older adults.

Pamela Allen, 72, supported Trump from the time he came down the escalator in Trump Tower in 2015 to announce his candidacy. Every few weeks, she waves Trump flags by the road in her Tampa suburb of Holiday with a group of other Republicans.

“I love him. I think he’s doing a great job. He’s addressing the situations of everyday people’s normal everyday concerns,” she said. “He’s keeping his promises, with little to no help fromthe media or the Democrats. There is no positivity on anything he does.”

As for the pandemic, she does think it’s serious for older adults but “may be blownout of proportion.”

“I don’t believe the numbers they’re posting about deaths. I washmy hands. I wearmymask. I avoid getting very close to people I don’t know,” she said.

Professor MacManus cautions thatwhile some older voters have gravitated toward Biden, there are many others like Allen who are firmly in Trump’s corner.

“They’re still probably leaning more towardsTrump. But in Florida, you look at margins,” she said. “He won the senior vote in Florida by double digits in 2016. And now we’re showing single digits in polls. … Any bleeding of any cohort is a red flag for that candidate.”

And in lastweek’s golf cart caravan, the Biden flags were blue.

Associated Press file photo Supporters of President Donald Trump await his arrival to deliver remarks on Medicare last year in The Villages, Fla. Trump has tried to boost his popularity with older adults.